3 Ground Rules for Experiencing Real Honesty with Your Spouse

I recently walked out to our deck and began flailing my arms uncontrollably. I’m positive I looked like an idiot. Why? Two words: spider web.

When I stepped outside, I felt that familiar, sticky feeling all over my arms and face.

In about half a second, I transformed from a calm, collected, adult man into full-on, no-dignity, nearly-falling-on-the-ground crazy person. All of my childhood fears flooded back in a torrent of hysterical juking and jiving, kicking, and chopping—all in hopes of finding (and squishing) the spider.

To be honest, I’m not scared of spiders. They’re amazing creatures that play an important role; I get that. I just don’t want them on my body. I don’t think that’s a lot to ask.

You probably know the feeling. You don’t know where the spider is, but you know without a doubt that it’s there somewhere. In your hair, down the back of your shirt. Or worse, crawling around on your skin… just waiting to sink his little spidery fangs into your unsuspecting, tender dermis.

What does this have to do with marriage?

Problems in marriage present themselves like spiders. You feel their effects—their webs—but you can’t always pinpoint the source. You feel like something’s wrong, but you don’t know the cause or root of the problem. Some examples:

Your communication just feels off; every conversation ends in an argument.

Your sex-life has diminished or become non-existent.

You feel like your trust is fading and you’re not sure how to rebuild it.

Maybe you feel indifferent toward each other; you don’t know why, but you just do.

Almost every married couple has faced or will face issues like these in their union. The thing is, they’re usually just symptoms of a greater problem; one that can’t be identified without honest conversation.

Honestly Speaking

I’m amazed at how many couples live dishonestly. They have hidden sin, unchecked resentment, and unresolved conflict.

They spend years with a low-level sense of falseness. Then, they wonder why they’re not experiencing joy and life in their marriage. I’m convinced that honesty is the first step toward life: honesty with God, honesty with yourself, and honesty with each other.

The opportunity to love is greatest when honesty abounds and nothing is hidden. True honesty can be difficult at first, but it’s uniquely liberating once established in your marriage. I urge you to fight hard for an honest marriage. But building an honest marriage requires some ground rules. Here are three:

Ground Rule #1: Never Lie

Selena and I have this rule where either of us can ask the other anything and we will never lie when answering. It sounds simple, but how many times do we downplay our sin so it doesn’t sound as bad as it really is?

How often to we explain it away so we don’t actually have to share it? I’m far from perfect on this, but it’s done wonders for her trust and my accountability. I find it relieving, actually.

Ground Rule #2: Always Love

Neither of you will want to confess when you’ve made a mistake if you think you’re going to get beat up for it. Authentic accountability requires unrelenting love.

Pay attention to yourselves! If your brother sins, rebuke him, and if he repents, forgive him, and if he sins against you seven times in the day, and turns to you seven times, saying, ‘I repent,’ you must forgive him.”

We don’t repent just have it thrown in our faces; that’s humiliation. Confessing sin always requires humility, but never humiliation. This is Christ’s example throughout the New Testament. Jesus knows we’re sinners and he still loves us. As his ambassadors and followers, we’re called to extend the same grace he’s shown us.

Caveat: sin breaks things and causes pain. Forgiveness is often just the first step, but if there’s legitimate hurt because of sin, it’s vitally important that you get to the core issues, find help, seek reconciliation, and start rebuilding trust.

This may mean you go to counseling, seek pastoral care, or pursue reconciliation by some other means. The important thing is that you deal with the junk. Just don’t keep it hidden.

Ground Rule #3: Remove Temptation

Be honest with yourself about what causes sin.

Guys, if porn is a big issue for you and you always struggle when you’re alone at home, time to kill the internet connection (seriously), and get help.

If you’re a habitual liar and your online accounts (Facebook, etc) are causing problems, time to give up the passwords and add some transparency (or, get rid of the accounts altogether).

All of the above may seem extreme, but addictions are no joke. If you’re honestly struggling with something and don’t trust your own self-control, it’s time to remove temptations from the equation and get outside help.

Back to the spider

As I flailed about on our deck I would’ve given anything to find that stupid spider. Webs by themselves aren’t scary, but when they’re attached to a (presumably huge) insect, that’s another story. Learn to detect the “webs” in your marriage by creating a culture of honesty between you and your spouse.

Once you do, you can work through real-life issues in real-time instead of waiting until they eventually poison your marriage.

The result? A thriving, transparent, intimate, and honest marriage that, with God’s grace, will last an entire lifetime.

What’s one way you and your spouse worked to build an honest marriage? How has true, unrelenting honesty changed your marriage?